It is well recognized that traditional photographic cameras are cumbersome to carry, particularly on extended trips, such as vacation trips and being fragile are subject to damage.
Disposable camera systems have been known in the art for use with both conventional film and instant film for some time For example, a disposable camera has been designed for taking a single picture from an instant film packet and then be disposed of, one such camera being disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,951 issued Apr. 28, 1987 and conventional cameras are now available for taking a roll of conventional film and then being disposed of with the film being separately processed and developed into pictures.
A draw-back of instant disposable cameras known in the art has been that after only one picture has been taken the camera must then be disposed of. Furthermore, such cameras have not been adapted to be collapsed for compact packaging with a packet of instant film for sale and use together.
Conventional automatic cameras include very sensitive mechanisms such as light meters and automatic focusing mechanisms which are easily damaged in travel and are sensitive to radiation from surveillance mechanisms particularly surveillance mechanisms utilized in airport terminals. Rays from such surveillance devices may damage the sensing apparatus of automatic cameras as well as damaging the film contained therein. As a result of the above carrying cameras on airline travel has become increasingly inconvenient and cumbersome with the result that many cameras are now left at home, creating a need for inexpensive cameras which could be purchased together with instant film at a location remote from the users usual residence.
It is therefore desirable to provide for an improved, effective, inexpensive and lightweight disposable camera apparatus utilizing instant film and to a method of packaging a disposable camera with a film pack which has the advantage of use and operation not possessed by prior art disposable cameras.